Tank fill connection



Aug. 4, 1953 F. w. EXTON 2,647,768

TANK FILL CONNECTLON Filed May 19, 1949 INVENTOR. Fmsa w. Exra/v AT TORNEYS Patented Aug. 4, 1953 TANK FILL CONNECTION Fred W. Exton, Cleveland, Ohio, assignor to The Cleveland Brass Manufacturing Company, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application May 19, 1949, Serial No. 94,080

1 Claim.

This invention relates to improvements in a tank fill connection and more particularly to means for providing a tight connection between a filling elbow and a pipe leading to a tank to be filled.

One of the objects of the present invention is provide novel connections on the tank fill pipe and on the pipe connected thereto whereby the connection may be made so as to be oriented in any one of four different directions.

Another object of the invention is to provide a tight fill connection which is adapted to be tightened by using the elbow of the connecting pipe as a lever whereby very efiicient connection is made.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a tank filling connection of the type described wherein apparatus is provided so that the connection cannot be accidentally broken while the filling operation is going on. v v

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the accompanying drawings and description and the essential features will be set forth in the appended claim.

In the drawings,

proved connection shown in full lines with alternative positions shown in broken. lines of three different characters; I

Fig. 2 is a sectional view ofthe same taken along the line 2-2 of Fig. 1; while Fig. 3 is a sectional view enlarged taken 9.10115 the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

In filling tank reservoirs from transportation tanks with oil products, there is always danger that the connection may come loose while the transfer of oil productsis being made, resulting in the overflow of oil products with a fire hazard if nothing else. In addition to this, Where gasoline is transferred, there is a danger from leakage fumes. An object of the present invention is to correct this matter by providing atight coupling. An instance of the use of such a coupling is the transfer of gasoline or the like from a tank wagon to a reservoir tank buried in the ground Other uses of my invention will occur to.

Fig. 1 is a fragmental top plan view of my imshown at I3 is similar to the quick detachable coupling shown and claimed in the United States Patent No. 2,042,125 granted May 26, 1936 to Nathan Roach, to which reference may be had for a more complete description. It has no part to play in the present invention except to indi cate one manner of connecting the hose IE] to I the elbow l2. 7

A clamping ring I4 is secured to the lower end of the elbow l2. In the drawing of Fig. 2, this clamping ring is shown integrally attached to the elbow I2 as by welding. It is obvious that the invention might be carried out by having the clamping ring l4 threaded or otherwise rigidly attached to the elbow |2 in a fluid tight manner. Beginning at the elbow l2, the clamping ring I4 is .first provided with a radially outwardly, extendin shoulder I5 after which there is a short downwardly extending cylindrical portion l6 following which is an outwardly flaring portion II which terminates in the ring proper Ma. Depending from this ring Ma on diametrically opposite sides thereof are two lugs l8 and I9, each of which extends first downwardly and then radially inwardly so as to underlie the locking lugs on an adaptor ring 20. This adaptor ring is shown as having a threaded connection 2| with the fill pipe |I- but obviously the specific type of attaching means is not pertinent to the present invention. Extendin radially outwardly from the-adaptor ring 20, are four locking lugs 2 22, 23- and 24.= These lugs are positioned ninety degrees apart around the adaptor 20. Preferably, the locking lugs 2| to 24 inclusive on the adaptor are slightly wider in circumferential extent than the lugs l8 and IS! on the locking ring. Necessarily, for the bayonet joint connection, the lugs 3 I8 and I9 must fit circumferentially between any two of the adjacent lugs 2|, 22, 23 and 24. As indicated in Fig. 3, the end marked A on each of the adaptor lugs is higher with reference to ground level and each of these lugs then slopes downwardly in a clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 3. It results from this construction that if the elbow I2 is positioned above the adaptor 20 with the lug it between lugs 23 and 24 and the lug it between lugs 2| and 22 as viewed in Fig. 3, then when the elbow l2 and locking ring [4 is turned in the direction of the arrow of Fig. 3, the lug is will engage lug 22 and the lug i8 will engage lug 24 and the lock ring will be cammed downwardly toward the adaptor 20.

Means is provided for sealing the joint between the elbow i2 and the fill pipe llzin a fiuid tight manner when the parts are placed together and clamped together as indicated in the preceding paragraph. To this end, the adaptor has a converging neck 29a at its uppermost end which provides a shoulder 26b overlying the upper end of the pipe ll. 2% and the end of pipe H,,th ere is provided a sealing gasket 25. The adaptor. 2ilis" drawn down tightly on the threads 2| so as to. provide a tight seal between it and the end of pipe ll,

closed by the gasket or sealing ring 25. vinthe shoulder of the elbow l2 provided by the portions l5 and iii of the clamping. ring, there isseated an.annular gasket. or sealing ring 25. .A short flange Zl extending radially inwardly beneath the sealing ring 2% may be provided to hold it firmly the sealing ring oppo=-.

in place. This positions site theend of the neck 2M on the adaptor so that when the clamping ring it ispulleddown tightly by the lugs It and i9, as previously de..- scribed, the sealing ring 25 will be pressed tightly against the end of the adaptor at 2611 making a fluid tight connection at this point. The portions i5 and [6 of the clamping ring are uninterrupted and imperforate so as to make a fiuid tight joint atevery point. Itwill be noted that the. inner walls of the elbow 12, the: sealing. ring 26, .the-

neck 2ila,,the sealing ring 25 ,and the. interior wall of fill pipe I l are preferably smoothlyaligned for even flow of liquid.

Means is provided to insure tion will not be accidentally broken while a filling operation is going on. To this end, a 1ug..l4b integral with the clamping ring Hi extendsradial- 1y outwardly therefrom at one point... Through a vertically extending hole in :thelug .l4b,.th.ere

passesthe cylindrical portion 28a of a pin 28b,

which is carried at all times in the .lug Mb, A shoulder 230 on the pin engages the top or lug I41 to limit downward movement oi the, pil Reierring to Fig. 3, it will be lugs L8 and i9 tend to move in a counterclockwise direction, due to vibration or to a striking of the fill connection accidentally, the .pin 2th, carried by the-clamping ring It, will strike the lug 24 before the connection can fall apart- This is a al ble f re as it re n s a e king oi' he connection and a spilling of the liquid through an accidental breaking of the connection. Referring to Figs. 1 and 3, it will be obvious hat. .wh le h ve. s own n full in s heeibow i2 extending in one direction from the fill'pipe, it would be possible to enter the lugs I8 and I5} in four diiiferent. positions with referencetothe lugs Z l 22 23 and 2 5, so as to place the elbow 1-2 in any of the other three positions of Fig. l indicated in broken lines. This is a Valuable iea'ture of my invention as it prevents anygreat distortion of the hose i0 and the fill connection, such as would occur if it were possible to connect the elbow 12 extending in one direction only from the fill pipe H. The driver cannot control the direction in which he approaches the fill box, and must connect the hose it in any position in which he finds himself.

The manner of use of my invention should now Bet en h shoulder that the tastesnoted that i the .24: inclusive,

fill pipe member lugs 2| etionas viewed in Fig. 3, causing the lugs 19 to -.cam the ring adaptor 20." :In'this process,

'lugsx2l' to 24 inclusive upon the be obvious. The driver of the transportation vehicle, backs the same up to the fill pipe H in any position which he finds necessary. If the elbow l2 or similar angle connection is not already connected to the pipe H), the operator connects the elbow I2 to the pipe 10 using a quick acting coupling such as that shown at [3. Before connecting this coupling, the operator places the elbow I with-its clamping ring [4 in a suitable position on the adaptor 20, placing the lugs I8 and [9 between whichever sets of lugs, 21 to forms the most natural position. Using the elbow l2 as a lever, the operator then turns the clamping ring [4 in a clockwise direcl8 and Hi down tightly against the the sealing ring 26 istightly clamped in sealing position. It will be noted that the c'amming action of a pair of the lugs l8 and I9 is effective to tighten the joint when the elbow I2 is turned. through less than the angular extent-.ofsany one of the lugs 2| to 2 inclusive. The .pin 28a is loosely carried by the elbow member fitting; ata point spaced cireumierentially from the'mid-portion of one of the two elbow memberlugs, l8 or. it, by an amount of approximately degrees. It results from this construction that when the two elbow member lugs 13 and. are entered between any pair of the four to 24 inclusive, the pin 2311. will be pushed upwardly by and will ride upon one of this set of four lugs. Then, after joint tightening rotation of the elbow member 12, thehpin 28a, will ride off of the lug which it lis riding upon, and will drop by gravity downwardly .betweenthe lugs of the fill pipe member so as toprevent reverse rotation of the elbow member sufilciently to disengage the bayonet joint. Bothhands of the operator are thus available for handling .the elbow member i2 and the 1' operation may attached...hose. I0 and coupling 13. The in 28b drops into. its locking position automatically. The driver then Secures the connection I3 so that the hose lilis coupled to the elbow i2. The filling then proceed without any danger ortheescape of .the contents in an undesirable manner. Using the elbow it as a lever, an operator or ordinary strength may pull this coupling down so tightly that even gasoline fumes will not escape into the surrounding atmosphere so long as the coupling remainsin its clamped positions In any case, even if the coupling becomes slightly loose, the liquid itself cannot be spilled eca se of th o kin p n 28b- What 'cleim s:

A tank'fill connection between a fill pipe member. and an elbow member comprising coacting bayonet joint fittings on the meeting ends of said members including four out-turned radially ex tending lugs on said fill pipe member spaced 90 degrees apart, two inturned radially extending lugs on said elbow member spaced 180 degrees apart, the lugs on said elbow member being integrallyconnected therewith, said four lugs on said fill pipe" member having circumferentially extending spaces between them wider than the circonnection between said members, a sealing gasket betweensaid fittings, said four lugs being all inclinedin the same direction circumferentially o can! aid-elbow member fitting downwardly and to pull said fittings together in joint tightening manner by rotation of said elbow member fitting through less than the angular extent of one of said set of four lugs, whereby the elbow member serves as a lever for its rotation, a pin loosely carried by said elbow member fitting at a point spaced circumferentially from the midportion of one of said two elbow-member lugs by an amount of approximately 45 degrees, and stop means on said pin holding the lower end thereof at the level of said four fill-pipe-member lugs, whereby when said two elbow-member lugs are entered between any pair of said four fill-pipe member lugs, said pin will be pushed upward by and ride upon one of said set of four lugs and, after joint tightening rotation of said elbowmember, said pin will ride off of the lug it is riding upon and will drop by gravity downwardly between said lugs of said fill pipe member to prevent reverse rotation of said elbow member suflicient to disengage said bayonet joint.

FRED W. EXTON.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Number 

